With between 120,000 - 150,000 Silver Salmon (Coho) migrating up the Alagnak River, we think that we have one of the most exciting late season fisheries in Bristol Bay! Silver Salmon average around 8 to 10lbs. and are by far the most acrobatic of the salmon species. These spectacular game fish are well known for taking top water flies and leaping clear out of the water after being hooked. For these reasons they are personally my favourite salmon species to target on the fly. Silvers will start to show up in the last few days of July and gradually build in numbers through September. The best time to target the Silvers on our river is from the second week of...
Over the next few days we'd like to introduce you the the different species of fish you can expect to catch on the Alagnak River while at Alaska Trophy Adventures Lodge and when the best time to fish for each species is. King Salmon (Chinook) King Salmon are the largest of the Pacific salmon and it is not rare to catch them in excess of the 35+ lbs range on the fly on the Alagnak River. We get runs of between 25,000 - 40,000 and their main spawning grounds are from about 6 miles above our lodge to 10 miles below us! Alaskan King Salmon start to enter the Alagnak River near the end of June and run through July 31st....
Today we want to introduce you to our second southerly tributary, which flows out of the twin lake known as the Nonvianuk Lake forming the Nonvianuk River. Nonvianuk River (Non-vi-on-uk) The Nonvianuk River runs 11-miles from its mouth at Nonvianuk Lake to where it meets the Kukaklek River to form the Alagnak. The Nonvianuk river is mostly class 2 technical water, with many bolder gardens and shallow sections. Surrounded by rolling hills of tundra, there is a very “open feel” to the Nonvianuk River and it is a beautiful place to fish or spend a day wildlife viewing. The upper 4 miles of this river is the most productive and much like the Kukaklek it holds an abundance of trout. The...
As mentioned the other day, the Alagnak River is formed by two tributaries that each flow our of twin lakes. The most northerly tributary is known as the Kukaklek River. Kukaklek River (Ku-ka-click) Flowing out of Kukaklek Lake the river runs 19-miles through mostly fast flowing technical water until it reaches the confluence and joins with the Nonvianuk river to form the Alagnak. The Kukaklek is well known for its short section of narrow, class 3 rapids contained by steep canyon walls. What is less known is that a section of this rapids creates a small waterfall with an easily accessible, natural overlook which is perfect for viewing feeding bears in the height of the salmon run. When fishing this unique...
Alagnak River (A-lag-nak) This prestigious river is located within Katmai National Park, with its headwaters in the surrounding mountains and draining into Bristol Bay. It is also known as the Branch River, for its seemingly endless braided river channels. Wading and fishing are made easy on the many small natural islands and gravel bars, which the river flow creates. The Alagnak has world-famous runs of all five species of Pacific salmon, and is home to a host of resident fish, such as leopard rainbow trout, arctic char and grayling, lake trout and pike. Crystal clear water allows for perfect stalking conditions, whilst slow runs and fast riffles are commonplace, with pools well suited to holding pods of staging salmon, often...